Lighting it up blue for Aleu
by SparkleEyes18
Summary: Modern-day AU. Kayley and Garrett take their 10-year-old Autistic daughter on simple family outing to a local froyo place on April 2nd. This is all done through Aleu's POV. Please be kind in the reviews, this topic "hits home" for me.
1. Big Annoucment

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Quest for Camelot. But I do own Aleu and this story.**

 **TODAY IS AUTISM AWARENESS DAY (SHOUT OUT TO ALL WHO WORE BLUE TODAY)! I have one more assignment before finals, but I gotta get this story out.**

 **I wonder what Kayley and Garrett would do with their daughter on April 2** **nd (considering their daughter-Aleu-has Autism)** **, so that is where the idea came from.**

 **ENJOY!**


	2. Family's Love

_**A Heartfelt Letter**_

 _April 2, 2016_

 _Dear Kayley and Garrett,_

 _You've come a long way. You have one beautiful little girl to show for all of your years together. Not just as a couple, but as a family as well. She is a symbol of the love that took you by surprise when you looked through each other's eyes that fateful night. Never doubt her beauty. She is your world now. Now that your three hearts beat as one._

 _I am writing this letter because I am so proud of you guys. I remember how heartbroken you were when your daughter was first diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder. I remember how hopeless you guys felt. It is not like you two to feel hopeless, but you did. Anyone would._

 _But you did not give up. You did not let that stop you or your lovely daughter from anything. Thank the world for your loving souls, because that child that you call "daughter", "baby", "honey", "love", "sweetheart", "kid" (or just simple "Aleu") is a blessing to everyone that she meets._

 _In the past 10 years (123 months), your daughter enchanted the world with every springy little step. It takes a while to look into her emerald stone eyes, but she is enchanting. Your house screams her. It's cozy and a little messy, but we are always welcomed. Just like her._

 _The milestones of the past 123 months! Your daughter is talking now! And she learned how to use the toilet just over three years ago (even though she can't say the word for "toilet"). We all know Aleu's love for animals. All animals, but mostly cats, dogs, hamsters, piggies (like Peppa), rabbits, 'chirpies" (birds) and especially zebras like Khuma, Tombi, Zigby and Stripes. (and 62% of your iTunes playlist is made up of songs that reminded Aleu of her zebra friends)._

 _The music! She introduced us to all kinds of songs and taught us to enjoy every single song we could hear from upbeat Chris Brown's "With You" (that reminds her of Khuma and Tombi) to LeAnn Rimes and old-school T-Swift and everything in between. Aleu showed us how impactful music can truly be. For what might seem like a simple little song to us, is her whole world. That's why some songs make her cry (like "Holiday" by Boys Like Girls –her cousins love that one), they express the thoughts and words that she can't._

 _Aleu at the One Direction concert a couple years back. We remember the pictures on Facebook. She was a natural with her sensory headphones, her sparkling smile and her Bristol board sign that you guys worked on the day before. For a couple hours, we could see Aleu so happy to feel like "one of the girls". We know that Aleu is like one of the girls, with her fair share of boy band music including One Direction, The Vamps and 5 Seconds of Summer._

 _Yes, through every up and down, Aleu has taught everyone to never take anything for granted. No word, no opportunity, nothing. There are few things that Aleu can enjoy. And things that you guys only dream about. We remember how happy you guys were when she called you "Mommy" and "Daddy"! One woman laughed at you guys, asking you what the "big deal" was. Clearly that woman did not know what you guys have been through._

 _We always knew you two will make great parents one day. We never thought that you guys could have the daughter that you do. You love her regardless of all her challenges. You guys made the best out of a tough situation. If anyone can do it, you guys can. We are so thankful you guys did not give up; we have heard of so many people who do._

 _Aleu IS your daughter. No denying that one. All the courage you two share was passed on to her. She is brave. Braver than anything or anyone—except you guys. But even you guys can appreciate that nothing is scarier than the challenges of her condition that she must face everyday. The limitations of her words, the power that her love of Khuma has over her, just to name a few._

 _Today is April 2_ _nd_ _. World Autism Awareness Day. A day when we spread awareness for the children, teens and adults like Aleu. We are more than thankful to know someone as beautiful and as free-spirited as your 10-year-old Aleu! She is the rey of sunshine in your lives and in ours. Even in her darkest moments, she can always make us happy—or just humble._

 _Thank you so much for giving us the glorious opportunity to meet your wonderful child. We are thankful for her, Autism and all. Keep up the exceptional work!_

 _Always there for you,_

 _Your family and friends_


	3. Menchies with Mommy

_**Note: I am writing this story through the perspective of Aleu, Kayley and Garrett's 10-year-old daughter. Aleu has Classic Autism (moderate to severe) and loves the movies Khumba and Adventures in Zambezia. (both movies, along with Quest for Camelot, I do not own).**_

 **MENCHIES WITH MOMMY**

 **ALEU'S POV**

1:14 PM

The sunlight is not so bright today. Which is weird because it is spring-time and spring is suppose to be bright and sunny. And everyone still has winter coats. That is really weird.

Zebras are awesome. I like zebras. Khuma!

Mommy took my hand. I look to my left. I saw a tree. I like trees. Trees are where birds live. Birds like Kai. Kai is a blue bird and he lives in a tree. I saw Kai at the movie store and I was really excited. I like Kai.

I want to touch the tree, but I can't. I want to see if the branches will carry me to the sky.

"Come on Aleu." Says a sweet sounding voice.

The sky is blue. Kai is blue, but he is darker than the sky. Kai loves flying. Kai and Zoe fly. Zoe is a bird, too. Zoe is white though.

"Aleu, we're here."

I am standing on a sidewalk. My shoes are purple. I like purple. Kayley wears purple. I picked my shoes because they were purple and Kayley wore purple.

I look over at Mommy. Mommy is holding the door open. There is loud music and I do not want to go because of the loud music. I look at Mommy. I look at the place. Pull back. I don't want to get yogurt anymore. I want to get ice cream at McDonald's instead.

The colours are too strong. I hate green. I don't like that green. It is too bright. It is too bright. The music is too loud. I don't like the music. I only want to listen to Camelot. I hate this music.

"It's okay, Aleu." Calm voice. Calm voice means that everything is still good.

"Aleu, no." Not-so calm.

"Stop it, Aleu." Less calm.

I cover my ears and start screaming. Mommy's hands get tighter. I do not like it, so I scream even louder.

"No, Aleu. We're going to get some yogurt."

I scream. Let out one big one. Before crying. Mommy hugs me and we move out of the way to let other people in.

1:45 PM

I'm done crying now. Mommy holds me. She takes my hand and look into her side so that the scary green does not bother me.

Mommy guides me. We stop and I look to see why we stopped. But I saw the green, so I get even more upset and look away.

We walked some more and then we stopped. I look, but I saw more green, so I looked away.

"Aleu what kind of yogurt do you want?"

"There's chocolate, vanilla, cake batter, Oreo." Chocolate yogurt? Oreo yogurt? I like chocolate.

More green. I don't like green.

"There's chocolate, vanilla, cake bat—"

I started screaming. How do you say chocolate? Ch…aw…chaw…this is really hard. I wish it was easy to say chocolate.

"Do you want chocolate yogurt?"

Without looking up, because then I will see the green and I do not like the green, I nod.

"Say 'I want chocolate please'." I…wah…wah…how do you say that?

"I want" Mommy continues, she expects me to repeat her, but I can't. Doesn't she know this is hard for me?

"I…I…" I respond.

"Want. Wah."

"Wah…Wah…na…t." This is exhausting. I just want chocolate. That is all I really want. Just chocolate. Chocolate.

"Ch…ch…ch…" I guess I have no choice by to repeat her. This is too much, all I really just and chocolate.

2:15 PM

"Chaw…co…let." I say. Wow! That was a nightmare.

"Good girl!" Happy voice. Happy voice is light and sounds like the person is smiling.

Just then, Mommy leaves me to stare at the green again. Just look down. Stay calm. How does my lullaby song go again?

 _Look at the sky._

 _Tell me what do you see._

 _Just close your eyes and describe it to me._

 _The heavens are sparkling with starlight tonight._

 _That's what I see through your eyes._

Mommy returns so I do not have too see the green again. She hands me a cup full of chocolate yogurt. I touch the yogurt and start to eat it.

"Aleu." Mad voice. Whisper. "No, no." Mommy takes the yogurt from me and I get really upset. I want my yogurt.

I stomp loudly. I scream at the top of my lugs. I start crying.

Try to calm down. Think of the lullaby song. Calm down. Lullaby song.

 _Look at the sky._

 _Tell me what do you see._

 _Just close your eyes and describe it to me._

 _The heavens are sparkling with starlight tonight._

 _That's what I see through your eyes._

 _I see the heavens._

 _Each time that you smile._

 _I hear your heartbeat just go on for miles._

 _And suddenly I know my life is worth while._

 _That's what I see through your eyes._

2:30 PM

I finally calm down. But then I see a table full of candy. I run to the table. Laughing. I grab some chocolate chips and eat them.

"A. LEU!' Really mad voice. Scary voice. Do not like this voice. "Do not do that!" Do what? Eat chocolate chips? I was hungry! You made me talk and I get hungry if I talk. I don't like loud noise. The music is loud. There is scary green everywhere. Just think of the lullaby song. Calm down. Don't cry, Aleu.

 _Look at the sky._

 _Tell me what do you see._

 _Just close your eyes and describe it to me._

 _The heavens are sparkling with starlight tonight._

 _That's what I see through your eyes._

"Do you want anything with your yogurt?" I am sad because you yelled at me. So I will just start crying.

2:55 PM

All calm down. I point to the brownie. I like brownies. 2 brownie pieces. One. Two.

3:49 PM

We are in the car. Mommy got two yogurts. One is for Daddy. We are going to see Daddy, he had an event today, so he couldn't come to get yogurt with us today. But everyone gets yogurt today. But we did not get any yogurt for Shadow and Sparkle.

"Are you enjoying your yogurt, Aleu?" Happy voice.

"Dah." I reply.

"You waiting for Daddy?" Mommy ask happily.

"Dah-dee."

"Mommy is waiting for Daddy, too."

"Shah….shah…dough. Spar…kul. Yo…gert." We did not get yogurt for Shadow and Sparkle. That is not fair.

"Dogs can't have yogurt, sweetie." Calm voice.

"No?" I reply. No yogurt for Shadow and Sparkle.

"Yogurt makes dogs very sick." Okay? but what about Starlight and Sunlight?

"St…st….star…luh…luh…ight. Suh…suh…suh…na…luh…ight."

"Cats can get sick, too." Mommy replies. Calm voice.

"Oh." I do not wat Sparkle and Shadow to get sick. I do not want Sunlight and Starlight to get sick. No yogurt for them. But zebras can still have yogurt. Khumba would love yogurt. And so would Tombi. I think that they'd like chocolate yogurt. I like chocolate yogurt. It sounds yummy in my tummy.


End file.
